President Dianne Boardley Suber was named the 2013 Female President of the Year at the 2013 HBCU Awards sponsored by the HBCU Media Advocacy, Inc.

“Few presidents have had a year like the one Dr. Suber just completed,” said Jarrett Carter Sr., founding editor of the HBCU Digest and executive director of the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy, Inc. “She oversaw a transition from college to university, introduced several new programs and initiatives, and attempted to prevent the closure of a sister historically black institution. And she did these things with the same grace, honesty and intellect that have made her one of the nation’s most respected presidents and experts on higher education. Historically black colleges require a unique brand of care and vision from their leaders, and Dr. Suber is among the best at turning both into results and opportunity for her students and her community.

The first female to lead SAU, Suber is an experienced educator and administrator with nearly 40 years of teaching, consulting and administrative experience from preschool to higher education. Under her presidency, the University has experienced increased enrollment, re-instituted the football program, fielded a marching band, expanded the adult learners program, established innovative degree granting programs to include biomedical and scientific communication; forensic science; the Center for Real Estate Development and property management; Allied and Medical Sciences program; and film and interactive media. On August 1, 2012, the College officially became Saint Augustine’s University. The University is on target to offer its first master’s degree program in fall 2014 – the Physician Assistant Studies Program.

“I am honored to have been selected by my peers as the 2013 HBCU Awards Female President of the Year,” said Suber. “I also want to commend HBCU Digest and the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy, Inc. for their commitment as a valuable resource in providing in-depth coverage of historically black colleges and universities.

In 2010, Suber received the Dr. Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award from the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), established in 2008 in honor and memory of the late Effie H. Jones, associate executive director at AASA prior to her death.

The criteria for being selected were to have earned media coverage for outreach, campus and community leadership and impact on higher education or regional issues, or have demonstrated innovative leadership resulting in increased enrollment, higher alumni participation, increased fundraising or new programmatic development. Finalists were selected and ranked by a panel of HBCU presidents and administrators. For more information, visit www.hbcuawards.net